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BPSC MainsGeneral Studies Paper IArt and CulturePractice question

Patna Kalam School of Painting

Write a short note on Patna Kalam painting.

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Introduce Patna Kalam with its historical origins and regional context. Detail its primary characteristics, artistic techniques, materials used, and key painters, and conclude with the factors behind its decline and present-day preservation.

Model answer

304 words

Introduction

Patna Kalam is a distinctive Indo-British miniature painting style that flourished in Bihar during the 18th and 19th centuries. The school originated after artists migrated from the declining Mughal court in search of patronage, settling in regional commercial centers such as Patna, Danapur, and Arrah.

Key Characteristics

  • Themes of Ordinary Life: Departing sharply from imperial Mughal portraiture, Patna Kalam shifted focus to the daily life of common people, artisans, and local festivities. Typical subjects included a farmer ploughing a field, scenes from the Sonepur Mela, Muslim weddings, and local craftsmen at work.
  • Technique of 'Kajli Seahi': Artists executed compositions using 'Kajli Seahi', a technique of painting directly with the brush without prior pencil sketching or under-drawing. Additionally, these works typically omitted elaborate background landscapes, keeping the primary focus on the human subjects.
  • Materials and Mediums: The paintings were created on diverse surfaces, including handmade paper, mica sheets, ivory, and treated leather. Artists used colors exclusively extracted from natural sources such as minerals, plants, and tree barks, without synthetic dyes.

Key Painters

Sevak Ram was the pioneer of this school. Other prominent artists who enriched the tradition include Hulas Lal, Shiva Lal, and Ishwari Prasad Verma, who is regarded as the last recognized master of the Patna Kalam lineage.

Decline and Contemporary Preservation

The style began to decline toward the late 19th century owing to the rapid emergence of photography, the introduction of lithographic printing presses, and the drying up of traditional patronage. Today, these historical collections are preserved and exhibited at institutions including the Patna Museum, the Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library, and the Jalan Museum in Patna.

Conclusion

Often referred to as a 'Men's Painting Style' due to the predominance of male practitioners, Patna Kalam remains a seminal chapter of Bihar's artistic heritage, celebrated for documenting ordinary socio-cultural life with remarkable realism and precision.

Key facts to remember

definition
Kajli Seahi

A distinctive brush technique used in Patna Kalam where artists painted directly onto the surface without any preparatory pencil outlines or preliminary sketches.

example
Sonepur Mela and Daily Occupations

Patna Kalam works vividly captured local socio-cultural life, portraying rural cattle fairs like the Sonepur Mela, butchers, washermen, and Muslim wedding ceremonies instead of aristocratic court durbars.

definition
Ishwari Prasad Verma

A celebrated artist remembered as the last master painter of the Patna Kalam tradition, representing the culmination of the hereditary school.

Frequently asked questions

Where are major collections of Patna Kalam paintings preserved today?

Surviving authentic works of the Patna Kalam style are primarily housed in Bihar at the Patna Museum, the Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library, and the Jalan Museum (Qila House).

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